Posted in General on Jul 29th, 2008
The average worker in Malaysia would have an estimated RM120,000 in his savings with the Employee Provident Fund by the time he reaches 55. According to the deputy finance minister, Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, this would give him a monthly return of RM500 assuming he does not withdraw the principal amount. “This is if the worker [...]
Posted in economy on Jul 28th, 2008
This report is extracted from The Star today (28 July 2008). Interesting reading: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country should focus on domestic demand to help the country counter slowdown in external demand, according to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. He said the National SME Development Council, in its SME annual report [...]
Posted in economy on Jul 26th, 2008
We’re seeing the inflation rate shooting through the roof in June 2008 due to the increased fuel prices and it’s spin-off effects. Foreign news wires have begun picking up the news and here’s how the Associated Press has reported it two days ago: Malaysia’s annual inflation rate spiraled to a 27-year high in June after [...]
Posted in Chess on Jul 25th, 2008
I RECEIVED an e-mail last Sunday from an old friend in London who told me that the Biel Chess Festival was now going on in Switzerland and that I should check it out if I was interested in following the chess fortunes of Magnus Carlsen and one other player. Carlsen is the sixth strongest player [...]
Posted in Investment on Jul 24th, 2008
This article by TonyCHGoh is extracted from The Edge online edition on 21 July 2008: KUALA LUMPUR: Although most real estate investment trust (REIT) valuations are relatively cheap now, declining well below their current net asset value (NAV) per unit in tandem with the recent decline of the market, investors are still reluctant to invest [...]
Posted in Penang on Jul 23rd, 2008
Last November, I blogged about the cracks on the Penang Bridge, how the previous state public works committee chairman had admitted to the cracks in several locations along the bridge and how one week earlier the previous Chief Minister had denied that there were cracks at all. Today, I read a news item that in [...]
Posted in General on Jul 22nd, 2008
There is a new scam in town, according to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). Unlike past scams where members submitted forged documents to facilitate the approval of withdrawals for education, house and health, this new one involves real documents. A Bernama news report said that the EPF has advised its members to inform the EPF [...]
Posted in Chess on Jul 18th, 2008
There are tournaments galore for every skill level. WHOA, not so fast, I cautioned my friend, who’s so enthusiastic about chess that he would jump off the deep end at any time just for a game. He had decided that he wanted to play in the IGB Arthur Tan Malaysia open championship. “The trouble with [...]
Posted in Chess on Jul 11th, 2008
It is important to recognise the past champions who have elevated chess standards to where they are today. KIESERITZKY, Staunton, Capablanca … do any of these names ring a bell? No? You are not alone. About two years ago, I was visiting one of the chess academies in the Klang Valley with some friends and [...]
Posted in Rockwills & Inheritance on Jul 7th, 2008
I was reading a well-written article by Zainah Anwar in The Sunday Star yesterday on the inequalities of the laws in Malaysia with regard to the rights of the Muslim and non-Muslim women population. I could sense her outrage in the article as she spelt out the various areas of discrimination and her appeal – [...]
